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With Autumn/Winter just around the corner, we’ve been looking for some make-up and skincare hints and tips for the season ahead!

We caught up with the gorgeous India Benjamin from Touchscreens & Beautyqueens to find out what her favourite beauty brands are, what products she’s rating and how she’ll be wearing make-up this season.

Q. Hey India, great to catch up with you! So tell us, what beauty trends are going to be big for Autumn/Winter?
The year of the contour seems to be on its way out, so expect fresh makeup for a flawless but natural look. This means creating a second skin with concealer and foundation without caking it on, and using a little highlighter and blush to emphasise your features and create a glow. Even eye makeup will be toned down, so using softer colours to bring out your eye colour while avoiding a heavy smoky eye. Nude lips will continue to be a favourite, and bold lips will revert from the usual wintery purples to reds and browns.

Q. How will you be wearing make-up this season?
I am a huge fan of the natural look so I’m really excited for AW makeup trends. My go to for a ‘no make-up’ make-up look is switching eyeliner for a grey or brown eyeshadow as it is a much softer look. For the base, I tend to just conceal any areas needed and then use a light concealer mixed with a little highlighter on my forehead, along my cheekbones, my nose and cupids bow for a glow, and if I fancy it a little gold based blusher on my cheeks for an extra dimension.

Q. What are your top skincare tips?
Aside from the obvious cleansing and toning every day, regular exfoliation is a huge thing for me for keeping my skin healthy and blemish free. I love Nip + Fab’s Glycolic Scrub as it has both physical and chemical exfoliation but is still extremely gentle. I also swear by serums; pick one which tackles your specific skin problems and use it underneath moisturiser for healthy, happy skin.

Q. Any make-up hacks you swear by?
A little highlighter dotted on your cupids bow instantly plumps up lips, and works much better at faking big lips than using a lip liner on skin. I have a lot of scarring and pigmentation and recently found that using a water based concealer underneath your foundation is a much better way of covering them than caking on concealer after.

Q. What budget beauty buys do you keep in your make-up bag?
I love the Maybelline Colour Drama Lip Crayons and have four of them so far, they’re perfect for matte lips without being too drying and the pigment is just incredible. Nude Perfection is (funnily enough) the most perfect nude ever and I carry it around with me for whenever I want that ‘your lips but better’ look. .

Q. If you could only use 3 skincare products FOREVER, what would they be and why?
Ooh tough one, I have so much skincare I use! I guess the first would have to be Liz Earle’s Hot Cloth Cleanser first, as it works as a makeup remover, skin cleanser and gentle exfoliator in one! I swear by Mario Badescu’s drying mask for anyone who suffers with under the skin spots; if I feel one coming up, I use it daily and it helps to reduce the time they last, and even prevent them at times. Last but not least, The Body Shop Vitamin E Sorbet is a perfect daily moisturiser for my normal-combination skin, and with its dose of vitamin E I wouldn’t be too worried about skipping a serum.

Q. Who are your beauty idols?
I’m not a huge celeb fan but Emma Watson’s makeup is always on point. She always looks so elegant and pretty, without looking like she spent hours getting ready. Em from My Pale Skin is a genius when it comes to covering up blemishes yet still looking dewy; I think a lot of people could take a leaf out of her book!

Q. What’s your favourite cosmetics brand and why?
I prefer to use different brands for different things rather than stick to one, but I do have a few favourites. Urban Decay is my go to for eye makeup, their palettes are stunning and I swear by their Perversion mascara for fat lashes. Seventeen and Sleek both do some beautiful powder blush and highlighters and are both budget friendly so are perfect for getting that natural glow without needing to go high end.

Q. What tips do you have on A/W haircare?
Cold weather wreaks havoc on hair, especially if you’re prone to frizz anyway! My biggest advice for haircare ever is cut down on washing, and use sulphate free shampoo – sulphates strip the moisture out of your hair which you need in winter. Overnight coconut oil masks are a saviour for dry hair, and using hair serums will help to combat daily exposure to the elements.

Q. Favourite hairstyle for a rainy day commute?
I’m really into braids at the moment so if the weather is looking terrible, I’ll put my hair into two French braids. It’s less prone to flyaways than a top knot, and it also protects my hair from weather damage which is a plus! It’s also my go to for when my hair is due a wash.

Q. What nail colours will you be stocking up on this season?
I’ve grown out of having really bright nails recently so I’ll be going for muted colours like burgundy, taupe and beige-nudes. If I’m in the mood for statement nails, a bold black always does the trick without being too in your face which is the vibe I tend to go for.